6 min | ~20 max | inquire
Industry field school | partnership
Deepwater Depositional Systems
San Diego, California - California Borderland coastal outcrops as analogs for canyon, channel, levee, and lobe architecture, reservoir quality, and outcrop-to-subsurface characterization.
- Dates: Sunday 21 February - Friday 26 February 2027
- Arrive: by 4:00 p.m. Sun | intro 5:00 p.m. + dinner
- Depart: Friday after 2:00 p.m.
- $13,000
- single occupancy
- 6 min | ~20 max | inquire
- Up to ~40 hours | attendance letter (continuing-education path; length follows published itinerary)
Why this trip
Why this week
This is the ACT-GEO portfolio course Deepwater Depositional Systems | San Diego, California - premium February 2027 delivery with Vitor Abreu and Rene Jonk. Coastal California Borderland outcrops as walkable analogs for deepwater reservoir architecture.
Borderland coast, walkable
San Diego-region sea cliffs expose Cretaceous through Miocene deepwater systems at scales you can walk - lobe complexes, confined canyons and channels, and amalgamated channel belts - then carry the same architecture language into seismic, well, and model space.
Two legends on instruction
Vitor Abreu and Rene Jonk teach this premium week together. Sequence stratigraphy, deepwater reservoir characterization, and outcrop-to-subsurface workflows are the point - Geology Field School runs safety, logistics, and equipment so the instructors can focus on teaching.
Canyon -> channel -> lobe
Build a genetic tie across canyon, channel, levee, and lobe elements: lithofacies, stacking, connectivity, and reservoir quality. Photopanels, measured-section style exercises, and outcrop-to-subsurface framing from the San Diego deepwater field guide family.
Global analogs on the day
Comparisons to prolific deepwater provinces (e.g. Campos, Congo, Equatorial Guinea channel systems) sit next to California Borderland observations - not a local-only classroom.
Field safety
- EMT and wilderness risk management on the trip
- Founded on the science of wilderness risk management and outdoor experience-based education
- Tide-aware coastal operating procedures for San Diego / Orange County field days
- Cutting-edge technology and the best safety equipment we can find that fits the purpose
- Hiking footwear mandatory; sun protection and ankle support expected every day
Science
Reservoir architecture of deepwater systems on outcrop
Course frame
This work-week field seminar is for geoscientists who need walkable California Borderland analogs for deepwater lithofacies, stratal geometries, and key stratigraphic surfaces - then apply those observations to exploration, development, and reservoir-model building.
Focus: canyon, channel, levee, and lobe architecture; reservoir quality and connectivity; sequence-stratigraphic interpretation; outcrop-to-subsurface characterization along the San Diego-region coast.
Coverage spans Cretaceous submarine lobe strata, Eocene confined canyon / channel systems, and Miocene amalgamated channel belts - framed with paleogeographic context for Western North America / California Borderland.
Learning outcomes
- Recognize deepwater lithofacies and depositional processes on coastal outcrop
- Map lobe-element and lobe-complex architecture (bedset continuity, scours, sand content)
- Characterize confined canyon / channel systems and reservoir connectivity
- Evaluate amalgamated channel belts and margin-to-axis facies patterns
- Tie mechanical stratigraphy / fractures where exposed to fluid-flow thinking
- Integrate outcrop observations with subsurface workflows (logs, seismic, models)
- Apply California Borderland analogs to global deepwater play types
Usual week
Sun-Fri on the San Diego coast
- Sun 21Arrive San Diego by 4:00 p.m. | intro 5:00 p.m. | dinner | safety
- Mon 22Point Loma coast | Cretaceous lobe architecture | mechanical stratigraphy
- Tue 23Coastal deepwater transition | stacking / facies debate
- Wed 24La Jolla bluffs | confined canyon / channel systems
- Thu 25Orange County coast | amalgamated Miocene channels
- Fri 26Dana Point wrap | depart after 2:00 p.m.
Specific stop details are on your participant website. Tides and weather may reorder themes within the published window.
In the field
San Diego coastal field days
Photos from Geology Field School / ACT-GEO San Diego materials. Expect sun, cliffs, and tide-timed coastal walking - plan footwear, layers, and sun protection every day.
Field staff
Field staff
Vitor Abreu | Instructor
Co-founder, Bossa Energy | Advisor, ACT-GEO
Co-founded FLUXUS (2023) and Bossa Energy (2026) after ExxonMobil exploration leadership - still building companies while teaching. 30+ years evaluating, risking, and drilling deepwater plays across 22 countries and 31 basins. Adjunct Professor at Rice University (sequence stratigraphy after Peter Vail); AAPG's inaugural international Distinguished Instructor.
Rene Jonk | Instructor
Director, ACT-GEO
More than 25 years in geoscience characterization for exploration, development, and research. Technical advisor and leadership roles with ExxonMobil and Apache. Honorary professor, University of Aberdeen. Co-instructs this San Diego deepwater delivery for hydrocarbons and related subsurface applications.
Christopher Oswalt | Field lead | EMT
Geology Field School field rep
Founder of Geology Field School and field lead on this course. Company founded on wilderness risk management. Nationally Registered EMT. Former Global Field Safety Director for Nautilus/RPS across 100+ field courses worldwide.
Exclusive 3D models
Exclusive drone outcrop models
Drone photogrammetry models for this coast are prepared for course participants. Public preview embeds will be added here when model IDs are cleared for the sales page.
From the field
San Diego field videos
Verified clip from the Geology Field School / ACT-GEO San Diego deepwater channel.
Partnership delivery
Built for repeat delivery
Geology Field School & ACT-GEO runs this San Diego deepwater seminar for individual sign-up and private company weeks. Formal survey score cards will be posted here once compiled from prior San Diego cohorts - we do not invent numbers.
Coastal California Borderland outcrops with canyon-channel-lobe architecture, photopanels, and outcrop-to-subsurface framing - designed for geoscientists working deepwater reservoirs worldwide.
Course design note | ACT-GEO & Geology Field School
Vitor and Rene provide the education; Geology Field School keeps the week happy, healthy, and safe - the same operating system used across our industry field schools.
Partnership operating model
I have been in the field in this area with Vitor Abreu and found that it was immensely beneficial to my career... Having been taught by Vitor Abreu has advanced my understanding in deepwater systems.
Kristian Lomas | Senior Geoscientist | via ACT-GEO testimonials
Fitness, readiness, and travel
Fitness, readiness, and travel
Who this trip is for
Geoscientists, petrophysicists, reservoir engineers, and managers who need California Borderland outcrop analogs for deepwater lithofacies, architecture, connectivity, and sequence-stratigraphic interpretation - exploration through development.
Who should not
Sightseers. Anyone unable to walk about 1-2 miles (1.6-3.2 km) on beach, bluff approach, and uneven coastal ground with the group, including tide-timed days.
Hikes / readiness
Medium physical demand. Coastal cliff-base and beach walking, often on wet rock, cobbles, and sand. Some days are tide-critical; weather and tides can shorten or reorder days.
Weather / terrain
February on the San Diego coast is typically mild but can be cool, windy, or overcast. Sun protection still matters. Expect variable footing along sea cliffs and beaches.
Main hazards
- Driving on highways and coastal corridors
- Slips and falls on wet / uneven rock, cobbles, sand, and steep approaches
- Tide, surge, and wave run-up on coastal stops (including rogue waves)
- Falling rock beneath cliffs - do not linger under overhangs
- Sun exposure and dehydration
- Other park / beach users and traffic at pull-offs
Required travel
Participants book their own flights into SAN (San Diego International).
- Arrive San Diego by 4:00 p.m. Sunday 21 February 2027 for the 5:00 p.m. intro + dinner.
- Do not book departure before after 2:00 p.m. Friday 26 February 2027.
- Lodging base is in the La Jolla area for course nights (single occupancy).
If you miss the opening safety briefing and deepwater lithofacies frame, you may miss context the field days build on.
Field school package
Investment and next step
$13,000
Feb 21-26 2027 | premium week | inquire
6 min | ~20 max | inquire | single occupancy
Included
- Instruction with Vitor Abreu and Rene Jonk (ACT-GEO)
- Field lead and safety with Christopher Oswalt (EMT)
- In-course ground transport (SAN-area meet and field days)
- Single occupancy lodging for course nights (La Jolla area)
- Hotel breakfasts and field lunches; selected hosted dinners when arranged
- Course-specific field safety equipment
- Course notes / materials from the San Diego deepwater field-guide family
- Course site access for 3 months
Not included: airfare to/from San Diego (SAN) and a few unhosted dinners.
AP / procurement
- Non-refundable $500 deposit holds a seat (when registration is open)
- Then either 50% of balance due 1 day before start and 50% after the trip ends, or pay in full (preferred)
- Company card and PO accepted
- Colleague substitution until 14 days before start
- Cancellation terms
- Vendor pack on request (W-9, COI, sample invoice)
- Private company weeks: inquire for quote
In-house inquiry
Seat / private company week
Same operating system. Feb 21-26 2027 public premium week - or your private company dates.
Use this form to request a seat on the February 2027 week or a private company delivery. Soft capacity ~20 paying with dual-instructor + safety staffing. Typical lead time 4-8 weeks for private weeks.